Lumber-trimming machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet A. WILLIAMS.

LUMBER TRIMMING MACHINE.

No. 247,791. Patented Oct. 4,1881.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. WILLIAMS.

LUMBER TRIMMING MACHINE.

Patented' 001;. 4,1881.

lwemor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WILLIAMS, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

L'UMBER-TRIMIVIING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 247,791, dated October 4, 188].. Application filed June 17, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom Ait may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED WILLIAMS, of Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain ImprovementsinLumber-TrimmingMachines,of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to that class of lumbertrimming machines in which a stationary saw and a series of saws mounted in swinging frames are employed, and in which the lumber is carried forward by chains or bands and the saws, located between the points of cuttin g, are depressed by the action of the advancing lumber.

rlhe invention consists in a peculiar construction and arrangement of levers for depressing the swinging saw-frames, in a movable rest or support for the respective levers, which may be retracted to permit a particular lever to fall below the advancing lumber, and thereby permit any desired saw to remain in its working position, and in other details hereina-fter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end View, and'Fig. 2 a top-plan View, of my improved machine.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine which shall automatically trim lumber and boards to regular lengths and square the ends, and by which any saw of the series may be caused to act upon the lumber regardless of its length,'in order that defective portions may be removed. To this end I construct the machine as represented in the accompanyin g drawings, in which- A represents a stron g frame-work, having on its upper side a bed or table, B, over which the lumber is carried by endless chains or bands C, provided at suitable intervals with knees or lugs a, and passing about sprocketwheels or sprocket-wheels and pulleys band c,mounted upon shafts D and E, located at the back and front of the machine, respectively. Motion is imparted to the shaft D by a belt, d, passing around its pulley e from a pulley, f, on a main driving-shaft, F, running lengthwise of the frame A from end to end, and carried in suitable boxes or bearings.

G represents a saw located at one end of the machine, and having its arbor preferably mounted in fixed boxes or bearin gs. This saw projects upward through an opening in the bed or table B, and is designed to trim and square one end of the lumber passing over the bed.

H H represent two of a series of saws, the number of which may be increased or diminished as desired, carried in-swingin g frames I, located below the table and turning about the main shaft F as a center, said saws being for the purpose of trimming and sqnaring the end of the lumber farthest from saw G. By the swinging of the frames I up or down, the saws H, or any one thereof, may be made to prject up through slits or openings in the table, or to fall below the same, thus permitting the lumber to be cut at any desired point.

The saws G and H are each driven by a belt, g, from a pulley, h, on the main driving-shaft, and as the swinging frames are centered upon or swing about said shaft, it will be seen that the movement of the frames will have no effect upon the belts g.

The swinging frames I are each provided at their forward ends with a counter-balance or weight, k, by which their rear ends are elevated and their saws maintained normally in an operative position.

It is customary to cut boards to lengths varying successively two feet, from eight feet to twenty-four, and the saws will ordinarily be arranged at proper intervals to effect this result.

The lumber to be trimmed is laid upon the bed or table, and is caught and carried forward by the lugs or knees a to the saws G and and H. The saw G, being carried in stationary bearings, remains always in its operative position, and the lumber is placed upon the bed in such relation thereto that only so much of the end of the lumber shall be removed by the saw as is necessary to produce a square and perfect end.

In order that the full available length of the lumber may be utilized, it is desirable that all the saws H between the saw G and the saw corresponding to the greatest standard length obtainable from the particular piece'of lumber operated upon shall be thrown out of action, which is accomplished by depressing their swinging carrying-frames, and thereby throwing the saws below the table.

For the purpose of rendering the action of IOC the saws automatic, each swinging frame is provided with a bent or elbow lever, J, pivotcd at the angle ofits two arms to the side of the frame I, and having its forwardly-projecting short arm connected by a chain or link, II, to the lower portion of the main frame A, while its long arm extends above the bed or table in position to be struck and forced back by the advancing lumber. It will thus be seen that each lever that is engaged by the advancing lumber will be moved back, and the frame to which it is pivotcd and the saw carried by said frame will be depressed and the latter thrown ont of action. Each of the saws H is at that side of its swinging frame nearest the saw G, while the lever of each is at the opposite side; hence, unless the lumber projects beyond the saw H a sufficient distance to engagetheleverJ of its frame, the saw will not be thrown out ot' action. The distance between each saw H and its depressing-lever is a little less than two feet, or than the difference allowed between the regular board-lengths.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that the boards are cut to the greatest standard length obtainable from the material, all the saws between the one which cuts it to length and the saw G being thrown out of action.

It sometimes happens that the lumber is split or otherwise defective through a considerable portion of its length. When such dcfective portion is at the end of the machine at which the saw G is located it may be passed beyond or outside of said saw a sufficient distance to remove the useless portion; but when at the other end it is necessary to retain in its operative position that saw of the series II which is in proper location to cnt the lumber at the desired point. To enable any particular saw to be thus retained in an operative position, I provide a stop or bar, L, to limit the upward movement of the swinging frames I; and I also provide for each depressing-lever J a rest, M, upon which the lever rests or lies when the frame is in its elevated position. Each rest M is furnished with a rod or handle, t', extending to the forward side ot' the machine, by which it may be retracted or returned to place, said rod or handle being furnished with two notches, j and j', by whichit may be made to engage with a plate or bar, N, and hold the rest in either position. Vhen the han'- dle or rod l1S is drawn forward toward the front of the machine the rest M moves away from the lever J and permits its upper end to fall below the table, in which position it cannot be engaged by the advancing lumber, and hence will notact to depressits swinging frame and the saw carried thereby. In this way a cut may be made at any point or points dcsired; and when it is found necessary or desirable to again render the action automatic it is onlynecessary to push in the rests M, and thereby raise the upper ends of the levers J to their former position above the table.

It is to be particularly noted that by the arrangement of the depressngdevers herein set forth all tendency to lift the lumber from the bed or table is avoided, the pressure upon the levers being by the forward edge of the lumber instead of the under face. Hence the necessity of special devices or appliances for holding the luniberdown upon the bed is obviated. By thus arranging the levers to be acted upon by the advancing edge or face ot' the lumber the power by which the carrying-chains are driven is made to effect the depression ot' the saw-frames, and the action is thereby rendered positive and certain, whether the lumber be heavy or light.

The outer saw, H, of the series, as well as the saw G, may be carried either in fixed bearings or in a swinging frame, as preferred, though in practice it is deemed best to mount both in fixed bearings.

The countcrbalance-weights of the swinging saw-frames may be adjusted to hold the saws or their carrying-frames in an operative position with any desired force to suit the nature of the lumber operated upon.

The pulleys e and f, through which motion is imparted to thefeed-chains, will be of proper relative diameters to give the required speed or movement to said chains; or, if preferred, gearing maybe substituted for the belt and pulleys and the feeding action rendered more positive.

I am aware that a num ber of swinging sawframcs have been arranged beneath the bed of a lumber-trimming machine and provided with levers projecting above the table in such manner that the lumber traveling over the table and beneath pressure devices caused the sawframes to be depressed. I am also aware that a series of saws has been arranged above the bed or table and each connected with its elevating devices by catches or locking devices which might be released to leave a particular saw in operative position. Such constructions I do not claim; but, believing myself the first to so construct and arrange the depressinglever that it shall be moved back and depress the saw-frame solely through the forward pressure of the advancing lumber,

I claim- 1. In a lumber-trimming machine, the combination of a swinging saw-carrying frame and a lever connected with said frame and arranged to project across the path of thc advancing lumber substantially at right angles to the line of advance, whereby the forward pressure of the lumber is caused to force back the lever and to depress the saw-frame without the aid of other pressure devices.

2. In combination with a swinging saw-carrying frame, an elbow-lever pivotcd thereto, and having one arm connected with a fixed body and the other arm arranged to project in an upright position above the table in the path ofthe advancing lumber, whereby it is caused to bear against the uprightforward edge of said lumber during the travel of the lumber past the saw.

IOO

IIO

3. In combination with a swinging saw-carryingframe, a depressing-lever pivoted thereto and adapted and arranged to fall below the bed or table ot' the machine, and a rest or stop adapted to be moved to and from said lever to hold the same normally above the table or to permit it to fall below the table when desired.

4. In a lumber-trimming machine, a swinging saw-carrying frame located below the hed 0r table, a depressing-lever therefor arranged.

to project upward through the table, and an adjustable stop or support adapted and arranged to hold the lever normally above the table, the Whole combined and operating substantially as set forth. 

